Play is the highest form of research”~Albert Einstein

Learning through play is an important aspect of the early years in Primary School. Numeracy, literacy, drama, art and ICT are consolidated and developed through play. Children can express their thoughts, ideas and creativity in a safe and interactive environment, where they can make decisions, work with others and develop a range of motor and social skills. Progression in play is also important and therefore tasks and outcomes are differentiated.

“Development can only take place when children are actively involved, when they are occupied with a high, non-stop degree of concentration, when they are interested, when they give themselves completely, when they use all their mental abilities to invent and make new things and when this gives them a high degree of satisfaction”. Ferre Leavers

 

Outdoor Thinking has the potential to transform our thinking about learning for both children and adults

The Certificate in Outdoor Practice focuses on the daily outdoor provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Our Principal Mrs McConway has completed her Certificate in Outdoor Practice and our Primary 1/2/3 teacher Mrs Mallon is currently completing the 12-day course that runs over the academic year to give time between sessions to put ideas into practice in our outdoor environment at Moneynick. With a strong emphasis on early childhood care and education pedagogy, it deepens the understandings of both child development strategies to nurture children’s wellbeing, learning and development through being, experiencing and playing outdoors.

'It aims to empower and enable practitioners and teachers to make the most of being outdoors for nurturing children’s wellbeing, learning and development in their educational setting. Our goal is to greatly increase the number of enthusiastic educators with a deep belief in the value of learning through real experiences and play outdoors and who share a commitment to upholding every child’s right to spend ample time outdoors every day throughout the year.'